Color Perception and Light

Color Perception

• Color is a perception created by our brain when it receives signals from our eyes.
• Our eyes have receptor cells called cones and rods that stimulate when they receive light.

Light and Spectroscopy

• Light is formed by different wavelengths, which create the visible spectrum.
• The visible spectrum was discovered by Newton in 1655 when he passed a small beam of light through a prism.
• The visible spectrum ranges from 390 to 750 nanometers, while longer and shorter wavelengths are invisible to our eyes.

Color Theory

• There are two types of colors: light colors and pigment colors.
• Light colors are created through additive mixing and have three primaries: red, green, and blue (RGB).
• When all light colors are combined, white is produced, and when all are absent, black is produced.

Pigment Colors

• Pigment colors are created through subtractive synthesis and have three primaries: cyan, magenta, and yellow.
• When all pigment colors are combined, black is produced, and when all are absent, white is produced.

Color Harmonies

• When two primary colors are mixed, secondary colors are created.
• When a primary color is mixed with a secondary color, tertiary colors are created.
• A secondary color forms with its primary complementary color, which creates high contrast.

Artistic Applications

• Artists have used color harmonies and complementary colors throughout history, such as the Impressionist movement in France.
• Famous artists like Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, and Fernando Zóbel have utilized color theory in their works.

Color Properties

• Hue refers to the color itself (e.g., blue, green, yellow).
• Saturation refers to the intensity or purity of the color.
• Luminosity refers to the brightness or darkness of the color.
• Tone refers to the combination of hue and luminosity.
• Shade refers to the darker version of a color, and tint refers to the lighter version.

Color Perception

• Our brain creates color perception from signals received from our eyes.
• Eyes have receptor cells (cones and rods) that stimulate when receiving light.

Light and Spectroscopy

• Different wavelengths of light form the visible spectrum.
• Newton discovered the visible spectrum in 1655 by passing a small beam of light through a prism.
• Visible spectrum ranges from 390 to 750 nanometers, while longer and shorter wavelengths are invisible.

Color Theory

• There are two types of colors: light colors (created through additive mixing) and pigment colors (created through subtractive synthesis).
• Light colors have three primaries: red, green, and blue (RGB).
• Combining all light colors produces white, while absenting all light colors produces black.

Pigment Colors

• Pigment colors have three primaries: cyan, magenta, and yellow.
• Combining all pigment colors produces black, while absenting all pigment colors produces white.

Color Harmonies

• Mixing two primary colors creates secondary colors.
• Mixing a primary color with a secondary color creates tertiary colors.
• Secondary color forms with its primary complementary color, creating high contrast.

Artistic Applications

• Artists have used color harmonies and complementary colors throughout history, including the Impressionist movement in France.
• Famous artists like Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, and Fernando Zóbel have utilized color theory in their works.

Color Properties

• Hue refers to the color itself (e.g., blue, green, yellow).
• Saturation refers to the intensity or purity of the color.
• Luminosity refers to the brightness or darkness of the color.
• Tone refers to the combination of hue and luminosity.
• Shade refers to the darker version of a color, and tint refers to the lighter version.